Of Cakes and Coffees
by Harue Aya
Summary: Edo Phoenix finds himself going to a certain place more often than he should. Well, it IS a café, and they DO serve the most delicious desserts. So, besides having his favorite cake, there's no other reason why Edo would go out in the open and risk getting caught by his fangirls… is there? (Edo, OC)


**Discalimer:** I do not own Yu-gi-oh! GX and its characters.

* * *

Edo Phoenix looks around before stepping out from the alley. He wants to make sure there are only a few people in the area. He doesn't want to attract any attention, after all. So when he is convinced everything is okay, he steps out and crosses the street.

The pro duelist has been here long enough – specifically, a week and a half – to know every nook and cranny of the town. He has already memorized it on the map, so he knows the short-cuts and spots where only a few people go – and where he can't possibly come across a fangirl or two.

A few steps later, he finally reaches the café. He pauses for a moment and looks at the window to see only a handful of people inside. He feels relieved that there are only a few people today. He continues scanning the café from the outside until his eyes landed on a certain girl, who is busy coming to another customer's aid. The sight makes the silver-haired duelist smile.

Edo finally enters the café, drawing attention from other people inside. Despite having their eyes on him, the duelist casually walks to his favorite place in the corner. As he sits down, the maiden he saw moments ago approaches him.

"Nice disguise," the girl complements Edo, looking at him from head to toe.

She admits the disguise itself is nothing much. It's simple enough, but if one would actually take a close look, Edo's secret would be out in no time. Still, it must have worked out for him since he's able to reach the café in one piece. Plus, his sapphire eyes sparkled more through his black-rimmed glasses.

"Going for low-profile, I see," she concludes after a few seconds of contemplation. "Who are you today?"

"Just someone named Yukito Minamoto, who lives across town," Edo responds.

The girl laughs. "Good morning, Minamoto-san. What will you have today?"

"The usual, Tanaka-san," Edo says as he keeps his voice soft, lest other customers might recognize his voice. "But make it two, please. I'm with someone today."

The girl arches an eyebrow. "You have a date, Minamoto-san?" she assumes.

"I guess you could say that," Edo says, being thoughtful of his words.

She looks around. "Where is she?"

"She'll be here in a minute."

She nods and excuses herself before heading to the kitchen.

Edo watches her until she is out of his sight. He then reaches for the magazine on the shelf just beside his table. His focus isn't on the article of the page though, but on the maiden who just took his order – Tanaka, Kaoru.

The first time he met Kaoru was when he, and the other pro duelists, first arrived in town. They were all going to participate in a tournament two days later, so they had to be here. After unpacking his things in the hotel he's staying, he decided to have a nice, long walk that time – after all, it's a thing he does whenever he's in a new place. Edo wanted to be familiar with the town he's currently staying in. Plus, having a walk in town that time would make him forget about anything that has to do with pro dueling. It will surely relieve him of stress.

Edo Phoenix is known for being cool and calm around fans, but that day was different. It was one of those days when Edo was not in the mood to entertain other people – especially stubborn fangirls. He decided to put on a cap and wear his sunglasses, in an attempt to conceal some of his facial features (somehow). He realized it's too plain and simple – and other people might recognize him immediately – but he wanted to go outside right away, so he didn't bother with it anymore.

He walked casually, blending in the crowd effortlessly. The first few minutes of his walk were a bearable one. No one seemed to recognize him, so he just went on. When he reached the park and walked past two girls sitting on the bench, that's when everything got exciting.

Edo wasn't too close, but he was close enough to hear one of them ask the other, "Is that Edo Phoenix right there?"

To which the other one responded, "I don't know. But there's only one way to find out."

Edo didn't bother turning around to know he was being followed. Right then, he knew he needed to walk faster. There were even moments when his persistent stalkers would call out his name, which sparked other people's attention. Edo just simply ignored them and kept walking (or jogging). He finally lost the girls when he turned to the alley.

It was only after the chase when the pro duelist realized how hungry he was. Since the hotel was too far, Edo just continued walking with hopes that he would find even a diner soon. He walked for a couple of minutes until he finally found a café. It was the perfect place for Edo because, besides having an empty stomach, the café was only small and wasn't crowded. There were only seven people inside.

He went in with his head down, avoiding any eye contact. When he reached the counter, that's when he first saw her.

"Good morning, sir," Kaoru greeted with a smile on her lips.

Edo nodded and greeted back. "I'll have a black coffee, lasagna, and a slice of blueberry cheesecake," he said as he reached for his wallet, only to find his pocket empty. He berated himself when he realized that he must have left it in his room at the hotel.

She gave him a concerned look as she said, "Is something wrong, sir?"

"On second thought," Edo began, clearly exasperated, "just cancel my order." Despite his current mood then, he gave Kaoru a soft smile and turned to leave.

Edo face-palmed and groaned in frustration – an action he doesn't usually show in public – as he left the café. The morning clearly wasn't going well for him. Still, he knew better than to be consumed by his own emotions, so he brushed it off quickly. He finally decided to just endure the long walk to the hotel with an empty stomach.

He was a couple of steps away from the café and was about to cross the street when he heard someone shouted, "Sir!" This caught Edo's attention. He turned to see Kaoru running towards him.

"You forgot something, sir," she said when she stopped.

Edo was about to say something when Kaoru turned her heel to ran towards the café, as if telling him, through her actions, to follow her. The frustrated and hungry duelist had no choice but to follow suit.

When they went inside the café once again, the maiden led him to a table in the corner. Edo was worn-out so he paused for a moment. When he finally came to his senses, he gaped at the blueberry cheesecake on the table. He looked at the girl beside him, confusion painted on his face.

"You forgot your order, sir," Kaoru said, offering Edo to sit down. "Of course, you'll have to wait for the coffee and lasagna for a few minutes."

Edo shook his head. "I canceled my order, miss..."

"Tanaka, Kaoru," she introduced herself.

"This is nice of you Tanaka-san, but I can't possibly accept this." Just when Edo was finished explaining his side to Kaoru, his stomach growled. He felt embarrassed, but straightened his back all the more. "I mean, your manager might get angry at you."

"There's no problem, sir. I practically own the place, so this one's on me," Kaoru insisted. "Well, technically, my father owns the place. But you look like you've had a rough start, so..."

Edo thought things through. He was hungry. And if he wouldn't accept this, it would take him a couple of minutes before he could actually eat something. On the other hand, he naturally isn't the type of guy who would allow women – let alone a stranger – treat him anything. As much as possible, he was always the one paying for stuff.

Then again, the morning wasn't going the way Edo planned.

The pro duelist gave in and decided to eat the food Kaoru prepared for him. He thanked the girl before sitting down. Never had Edo tasted such an amazing meal in his life – that, or he's just really hungry.

When Edo finished his meal, he thanked Kaoru endlessly. He didn't exactly know how to return the kind gesture Kaoru gave him. Obviously, for the silver-haired duelist, paying his debt wouldn't be enough.

"I'll pay for the food," Edo promised the girl before leaving.

"It's okay, Phoenix-san. I told you, it's my treat." Kaoru took note of the surprised look on Edo's eyes before continuing, "I wasn't able to recognize you earlier. I just had a close look when I called you back in the café. I'm not really a pro dueling fan, but my younger sister on the other hand... well, she's into you." The girl finished her explanation with a giggle.

Edo chuckled as well and bowed his head. "Thank you, once again, for the food, Tanaka-san. And thank you for not telling anyone else about... well, my secret."

"I somehow felt something's up. I guess, celebrities also need time for themselves every once in a while."

Edo nodded slowly, uttered his final thanks, and left the café. That day, he successfully returned to the hotel (still in one piece) with a full stomach.

After what happened, Edo finds himself coming back at the café every time he's free. And every time he goes to his favorite place in town, he tends to wear simple disguises – not because he's not in the mood to entertain other people along the way, but because he simply doesn't want anyone to know where he's going. Edo Phoenix doesn't want to give other people ideas. He, of all people, perfectly knows that rumors – despite not having any strong basis – tend to spread fast.

Plus, it's the only place on Earth where Edo can be his laid-back self without people minding it.

Edo is pulled back from his reverie when he heard a soft sound on the table, as if someone is placing something on it. When he puts the magazine down and looks up, he sees a smiling Kaoru, placing his orders on the table.

"Here you go, Minamoto-san," she says as she places everything on the table. Kaoru looks around. "But where is your date?"

"Actually," Edo begins as he stands up. He reaches for the other chair in front of him and gestures for Kaoru to sit down. "I want you to chat with me for a while."

Kaoru is dumbfounded. "I... well..."

"It is my last day here in town," he explains, expectation evident in his eyes. "I figured I should spend it with you, Tanaka-san."

The maiden looks around. She observes that there are a few customers, and not even a single one needs assistance or anything. Despite this fact, Kaoru still feels uncomfortable about the matter. She's going to eat with one of the world's best duelist. Not to mention, the fact that almost every girl would want to be in her shoes right now.

Kaoru smiles at the picture of her younger sister in her head.

After thinking about it thoroughly, Kaoru nods. She then sits on the chair Edo pulled for her. When the duelist made sure she is comfortable in her seat, he takes his seat in front of her.

They instantly talk about certain matters, like how the tournament had been for Edo and how Kaoru's family business became slow ever since another café opened. It's a good moment for the both of them. They never run out of things to say. It's as if they've known each other longer than they had.

After finishing his cake, Edo glances at Kaoru with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Kaoru asks.

"Well, I didn't get to bring you somewhere else. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's nice here. But if things aren't complicated..." Edo trails off.

In retrospect, he did want to ask Kaoru out somewhere – to get to know the girl more. But his being a celebrity might just ruin her perfectly simple life. A simple girl living in a simple town, running a simple business, and living a simple life – Edo Phoenix definitely doesn't want to complicate that. Sure, he has been linked with other females in the past, but he doesn't want that to happen to Kaoru. He doesn't want her to experience that kind of burden.

"...it would be different," Edo finally says.

Kaoru smiles thoughtfully. "Don't worry about it, Phoenix... Minamoto-san. I still enjoyed this."

Edo finds himself lost in her smile for a moment – and it is, indeed, a moment he cherished. He admits to himself there's something about Kaoru's smile that eases him. It never fails to remind him that everything will be all right.

He is about to say something, but is interrupted by a phone call. It is, apparently, his manager asking him where he is. "Okay, got it. Thanks," he tells his manager and ends the call. Edo turns to Kaoru. "I'm sorry, I have to go now."

Kaoru stands up. "Yes, go ahead. I don't want to make you late."

Edo stands up as well and walks closer to the girl in front of him. He reaches for her hand and kisses it gently. "Thank you so much," he finally says.

Kaoru feels her cheeks blushing as she watches Edo Phoenix leaving the café. Once he is out from the establishment, he glances at her for the last time and gives her a warm and grateful smile. The sight makes Kaoru chuckle.

In a week and a half, she discovers Edo Phoenix is someone more than the celebrity everyone knows him of being. He has strong values and principles, has a thing for desserts, and can get a little too laid-back at times. But above all, he's just an average person like the rest of them.

In the eyes of many, he's the Edo Phoenix – a good-looking duelist everyone sees on TV. But for Kaoru, he's just Edo Phoenix – a normal guy who just realized he forgot his wallet when he already placed his order.

Kaoru smiles once again as she remembers that moment.

* * *

In the morning, two days after Edo's departure, Kaoru's younger sister greets her with, "Guess who's on the paper today." The younger girl shows Kaoru a newspaper article with a picture of her and Edo talking in the café.

Kaoru almost spits out her breakfast as she snatches the newspaper from her sister. The picture was apparently taken by a customer two days ago and posted it on the internet. The article says they assume Kaoru to be Edo's girlfriend.

That same morning also, after they had their breakfast, they turn the TV on to see Edo Phoenix being interviewed in the news. The interviewer asks him about the latest rumor of him and Kaoru.

Edo confirms, "She's a good friend of mine. She's running a small café in their town. And I must say they serve the best desserts there."

Kaoru is pleased with Edo's statement on the news. Because of his remark more customers go in the café, with people usually ordering the blueberry cheesecake.

The cake becomes the bestseller later on.


End file.
